Monday, July 9, 2012

Case Waldgeist: 12000 point Operation Sealion London Assault

Hey all, as promised here is the 12,000 point mega battle we did this weekend for Operation Sealion. I have to admit, we knocked the whole thing out in 5-ish hours. I'm still impressed at how well the game scales up. Of course, a ton of tanks helps that out.

Read on and enjoy!

At dawn on July 7th, 1944 FHH KG von Throckmorton (Throck) with elements of the storied 21st Pzr Div (player to be named later) and his long time FHH comrades from the 503 Schwere Pnzabtl (Throck) were ordered to punch through defensive lines in North East London. His start line was Burtonhole Farm, and OKW ordered the combined forces to meet a day 1 line of Ballards Lane.
Opposing the German forces were fresh reinforcements from the 4th Armored Division (Jimbo) and a long time nemisis of von Throckmorton, Rotny Vana's stalwart Czech Guards.
Sensing a seam in the allied defensive line KG von Throck struck on a narrow frontage.
Allies Defenders, Dealyed reserves, prepared positions, immediate ambush 6120 Points.
Axis attackers, 6135 points.

TURN 1

The Paznerwerfers score the first kills in a bombardment on the Blitzdoughs

On the German right the Panzergrens Storm out of the Tracks while the Panthers storm up to face the IS-2's

The russians call in the Feared Sturmovick to disrupt the German right

While the American's do the same on the German Left

And the IS-2's score two Panthers!

On the edge of the trees the storied Panzergrenadiers wait for the assault

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: 2 Panther G

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 2x Bazooka 1x Rifle Team

TURN 1 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: We ordered a general advance along the line, little did we know well camoflagued IS-2's lay in wait just inside the city limits. Allies: The time to hold is now. Every man must do his duty and push the Fascist back to the sea! Hold the line.

TURN 2

The general advance continues, two platoons of Panzergrens stay in reserve to reinforce where needed.

While the heavily armored German Left continues it's march forward

And the bunker busters move up to attempt the removal of Yanks in the buildings

The 2 remaining Panthers on the right open up on the IS-2's

Bailing 1, who will remain that way for most of the game

Sensing the threat from the 88's the Yanks and Red's call in joint air to knock it out

And score one gun

The Shermans on the German Left advance through the dense city

Killing 1 Recce Vehicle and 1 Grille

And 2 Stug G's

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: 2x Panther

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille: DESTROYED

1x 250x9

2x Stug G

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 2x Bazooka 1x Rifle Team

TURN 2 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: The Grille's were not as effective as we'd had hoped and the sod's were forced to flee under heavy fire. The Kingtigers seem reluctant to advance into the jaws of enemy infantry and tanks so the Panthers begin to take the lead. Allies: The line is holding, and the air support seems to be doing it's job. 1 less Flak Cannon is always a good thing. Those Grille's could have ruined the Doughboy's in the building's but, luckily we forced them to retreat under heavy fire.

TURN 3

Panthers on the German Right bust through the large building in an attempt to quickly deal with the IS-2's

While in the center Otto Carius and his mighty Tigers appear to stop the advancing shermans!

Killing a Sherman and a Sherm 76 and bailing a 76 and a Jumbo!

Meanwhile, the reckless panthers on the Right kill 1 Is-2 and Bail another.

The lead Panzergrens on the right rush to support the forward Panthers

As on the left the Panthers and King Tigers approach the American lines

Panthers on the Left assault and... fail losing two of their number and get pushed back!

While the Panthers on the right attempt the same...

With similar results.

Panzergrens move up to the wall while German morale starts to falter.

The IS-2's creep forward to end the final Panther on the German Right

Leaving only infantry and half tracks to deal with the steel behemoths

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: DESTROYED

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille's: DESTROYED

1x 250x9

2x Stug G

Left Panthers: 2x Panther G

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 3x Bazooka 1x Rifle Team

Center Shermans: 1x Sherman 1x 76

1x IS-2

Left Shermans: 1x Sherman

TURN 3 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: Things are starting to get dicey. While I think we're doing well on the heavily armored side, those Is-2's are really going to be a problem if we don't take care of them quickly. Allies: We're aware that we're playing for time and thankfully, those krazy krouts are just throwing units at us piecemeal. So far, we're holding, but the tanks are starting to look a little shaky, and we're still not sure what to do about those king tigers, everything keeps bouncing off!

TURN 4

The Panzergrenadiers on the right up the action and advance into the Jaw's of the IS-2's

Forcing the IS-2's back with the death of 2!

And finally take up positions in the city proper, facing off against a horde of Strelkovy

Between rockets and a fusillade from the stationary Tigers the Center Shermans are decimated and forced to flee!

While the Kingtigers destroy Abram's tank (he is seen unceremoniously running towards the division CP) and bail a Jumbo

Panthers on the German left assault again, doing some damage but, again are pushed back

And the Wespe's open up on the Strelk's scoring one kill

The tigers survey the carnage

And the King Tigers storm up to the city

American reinforcement Shermans arrive to shore up the russian line

And the house to house fighting get's intense

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: DESTROYED

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille's: DESTROYED

1x 250x9

2x Stug G

Left Panthers: 2x Panther G

Right Panzergres: 2x MG Team

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 3x Bazooka 2x Rifle Team

Center Shermans: DESTROYED

2x IS-2

Left Shermans: 1x Sherman

1x SMG Strelk

US 1iC DESTROYED

Abrams: DESTROYED

TURN 4 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: That's better! The advance is starting to go quite well. Panzergrens made short work of the IS-2's and are threatening on the right while the armored fist of Deutschland is mopping up the American's and seem ready to push to the center objective. Allies: Not the best turn ever. Multiple bogged tanks, failed attacks and frankly dice that seems to want to work for the Germans. The timely arrival of some sherman's behind the Czech's may be our saving grace though.

TURN 5

The combined weight of rockets and panzergrens start to take their toll on the Strelk's

Tiger's move up the gut!

While the hulking kingtigers move into to target the Yank's that have retreated to the church

The Czech cavalry arrive! with 10 T-34/85's on the german right and...

Five more on the German Left!

And the fighting in the city intensifies

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: DESTROYED

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille's: DESTROYED

2x 250x9

2x Stug G

Left Panthers: 2x Panther G

Right Panzergren's: 2x MG Team

Center Panzergren's: 1x MG Team

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 3x Bazooka 2x Rifle Team 1x Command

Center Shermans: DESTROYED

2x IS-2

Left Shermans: 1x Sherman

4x SMG Strelk

US 1iC DESTROYED

Abrams: DESTROYED

TURN 5 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: A bit of a lull for us as we bring up our reserve panzergrens and the Panthers, Tigers and Kingtiger's navigate into the city for "THE BIG PUSH"Allies: We're doing damage, and now we've got 15 more tanks on the field. But I'm not sure if it's enough, or in time.

TURN 6

King tiger's open up on the 5 tank T-34 company, killing 3 and forcing them to flee!

While the Panthers in the Center kill a T-34 from the large company

The American Tank Destroyer's arrive

Just as the Tiger's begin to head towards the Church

And von Throck rushe's up his final platoon of Panzergrens

The rockets in the rear are one of the few viable targets for the allied air forces

Russian Recce show's up as the Strelk's and Tanks open up on the Panzergren's

But they only score one kill, it appears the British make very solid buildings

And the germans now advance deeply into the city

As the air starts to strike at their rear, scoring a rocket launcher

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: DESTROYED

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille's: DESTROYED

2x 250x9

2x Stug G

Left Panthers: 2x Panther G

Right Panzergren's: 2x MG Team

Center Panzergren's: 2x MG Team

1x Panzerwerfer

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 3x Bazooka 2x Rifle Team 1x Command

Center Shermans: DESTROYED

2x IS-2

Left Shermans: 1x Sherman

4x SMG Strelk

US 1iC DESTROYED

Abrams: DESTROYED

Small T-34: DESTROYED

Large T-34: 1x T-34/85

TURN 6 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: The lead is starting to get thick. We only suffered a few casualties and we're well positioned to reduce the remaining defenders before we move to take the Day 1 objectives. Allies: Our T-34's come on only to get swallowed by the King of the Tigers. Heartbreaking. We're folding on the German Left so we've moved our rifles to a final redoubt in the church overlooking the center objective. The objectve on the German right is still strongly held though.

TURN 7

German armor open's again, killing a T-34, and the entire TD recce squad forcing the M-18's to show themselves

The M-18's come out from their hidey hole

As tigers make it deeper into the city

And the firefight continues on the German Right

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: DESTROYED

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille's: DESTROYED

2x 250x9

2x Stug G

Left Panthers: 2x Panther G

Right Panzergren's: 3x MG Team 2x Tracks

Center Panzergren's: 4x MG Team

1x Panzerwerfer

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 3x Bazooka 2x Rifle Team 1x Command

Center Shermans: DESTROYED

2x IS-2

Left Shermans: 1x Sherman

6x SMG Strelk

US 1iC DESTROYED

Abrams: DESTROYED

Small T-34: DESTROYED

Large T-34: 3x T-34/85

TD: Recce Destroyed

TURN 7 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: The grind here continues, city fighting is difficult for tanks, as I'm sure it was historically. And man alive are those T-34's starting to take a toll on my Panzergren's. They killed 4 stands this turn by sheer weight of fire!Allies: The German right has been severely weakened by the loss of a number of Panzergren stands but I don't know if we can capitalize on it. If The Yanks lose another platoon they'll be forced to take a platoon Morale test, and if they fail, I think that'll be game. The worst part is the M-18's, which were forced to show themselves, completely whiffed!

TURN 8

Tigers open up on the M-18's and wipe them out!

Everything open's up on the Czech's! the rockets Kill the final IS-2, and the grens kill 2 more strelk's

One of the King Tiger's seizes the center objective!

Sensing defeat the stalwart Czech's advance with everything

No seriously, everything...

The strelks assault first!

And are pushed back

The T-34's come up next

Losing 3 and getting pushed back as well

The German's carry the day after a bloody clash.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

KG von Throck

Right Panthers: DESTROYED

1x 88 FlaK 36

Grille's: DESTROYED

2x 250x9

2x Stug G

Left Panthers: 2x Panther G

Right Panzergren's: 3x MG Team 2x Tracks

Center Panzergren's: 4x MG Team

1x Panzerwerfer

Allies

4AD Blitzdoughs: 3x Bazooka 2x Rifle Team 1x Command

Center Shermans: DESTROYED

IS-2's: DESTROYED

Left Shermans: 1x Sherman

8x SMG Strelk

US 1iC DESTROYED

Abrams: DESTROYED

Small T-34: DESTROYED

Large T-34: 6x T-34/85

TD: DESTROYED

TURN 8 SUMMARY

KG von Throck: We were so lucky that those M-18's whiffed. It allowed us to move unconsteted towards the middle of town and deal with the lightly armored TD's in detail. Some really bad saves by Rotny depleted his strelks and caused the loss of his IS-2 to a rocket of all things. It's just not going the allies way. Allies: Jimbo fails his company morale check and book's it for greener pastures while I decided the only way to go out is shooting! I head up with everything I had, and lost most of :)

Wow, what a great game. I don't have a lot to add here other than what you've already read. Needless to say, city fighting can get pretty static pretty fast if you lack the fire power to dig out infantry.

Thanks for the comments guys! We had a blast.Weird WWII, yeah we're all newish so we're still working through painting our armies. Although, in the next few days you'll see a full rundown on the King Tigers from unboxing through to finished painting!

Brian has a point, and he's right! It's a weird game and scenario! The what if is one of the biggest queries of all! But it's a lot of fun to do! The next battle that a friend and I will be doing is another one near Weymouth in Dorset, and it'll be between the Irish Guards and the 40th Heavy Panzer Abeleitung (Operating the second hated version of the Tiger - The 1E variant ) The place - Chickerell! 5 or 6 miles out of town and that's not going to be a picnic. Putting the 'tail' on these heavy panzers won't be easy! I'll let you know - What happens

Looks like a lot of fun guys! Good game!I will point out that the US TD platoon coming on from reserves does not use the recon elements. It arrives as the TDs themselves. You can only use the US SS&D rules if the platoon deploys on the table at the start of the game.

On turn 4, the pzgrens got awfully lucky assaulting the IS2s and managing to kill 2 of them. I think it was a mistake on the Allied player's part to keep the IS-2s so far forward. They should have pulled back to (or been deployed) within 8" of the infantry behind them. That way, the infantry would have been able to provide defensive fire against the Pzgrens and most likely pinned any assault from the German infantry.